Volunteers sought for Bayou Chico cleanup

Pensacola residents have an opportunity to give back to the local community by taking up trash from a local waterway this weekend.

On Saturday, June 25, the public is invited to take part in an effort to clean up Bayou Chico. Sponsored by MarineMax Pensacola and the Bayou Chico Association, volunteers will set out on boats to pick up garbage and debris from various sections of the bayou west of downtown Pensacola.

The event is designed to not only bring the community together to clean up the area’s waterways, but to also educate residents about the importance of caring about what flows into the bayou – and where it comes from.

Bayou Chico looking towards Pensacola Bay. (Drew Buchanan/The Pulse)

“We partnered up with the local community and reached out to the Bayou Chico Association to partner on cleanup of the bayou,” said Annamarie Worrell, Regional Marketing Manager for MarineMax. “We invite the community to come out and participate.”

Worrell says MarineMax will be providing nets, bags, and cleaning supplies to all who come to participate in the effort.

Continued cleaning is necessary as the bayou works to heal from the damage done due to misuse and chemical spills from the industrialization era of the 1800s through the 20th century.

While the bayou is the cleanest it’s been in decades, according to official studies and reports there are still lots of problems and that the bayou is lacking proper nutrient input due suspended solids and runoff from watershed, parking lots, and urban areas.

Bayou Chico is home to several recreational marines, shipyards and hundreds of residents. (Drew Buchanan/The Pulse)

Local boaters are asked to meet at the MarineMax docks adjacent to The Oar House restaurant at 9 a.m. Worrell encourages as many people as possible to take part, even if they don’t have access to a boat.

“We encourage non-boaters to call ahead and we’ll be happy to get them on one of our boats to help in the effort. We’ll have plenty of room.”

As an added plus, there will be free lunch provided for volunteers. “We will do an appreciation luncheon after the event,” said Worrell. “Moving to Bayou Chico was a big deal for us and we love to be more involved in community.”